Pastels Exhibition Opens in Boston

Works by Monet, Renoir, more on view

BY LOUIS MARROQUIN — Summer 2018

ee nearly 40 rarely seen works by such beloved artists as Mary Cassatt, Claude Monet, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, June 30-Jan. 6, 2019. The exhibition, “French Pastels: Treasures From the Vault,” showcases pieces from the MFA’s holdings, alongside notable loans from a private collection. Museums don’t frequently display pastels because of the medium’s delicate nature (powdery texture and sensitivity to light), adding to this show’s draw.

Avant-garde 19th-century artists used the subtle-looking, but difficult-to-master art form to capture such qualities as fading light, faint facial expressions, gauzy fabrics, and dainty flowers. Among the works on view: Edgar Degas’ Dancers Resting, Jean-Francois Millet’s Dandelions, and Camille Pissarro’s Poultry Market at Gisors. 617-267-9300; mfa.org